


What I did with my Clone Wars, or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

by Sallerino



Series: Family is what you make of it [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drama, F/F, F/M, Femslash, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Qui-Gon Jinn Lives, Retelling, Romance, Slow Burn, Smut, Team as Family, Trans Character, Trans Female Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:21:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28877115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sallerino/pseuds/Sallerino
Summary: Ahsoka is nervous to begin her tutilage under Jedi Knight Anakin Skywallker, who was something of a minor legend among the younglings at the temple. He was a Jedi prodigy, excelling at almost everything he put his mind to. His time at the temple had been brief, but his tutilage under the legendary Master Qui-Gon, who had killed the first Sith to have been revealed in centuries, had lead to Anakin becoming one of the youngest Jedi Knight's in even Yoda's living memory.And now here she was, fresh from both her promotion to Padawan status and from finishing her transition, flying to the front lines with battle hardened clones to meet up with this new living legend and his almost as legendary friend, Master Obi Wan. She only hoped she didn't end up annoying them...
Relationships: Ahsoka Tano/Asajj Ventress, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Satine Kryze, Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Series: Family is what you make of it [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2117751
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	1. A ship's strength is not in its size, but in its ability to sail against the tides

**Author's Note:**

> This is only the first part of a long retelling of Ahsoka's life, with a few key differences that become apparent pretty quickly. 
> 
> This series will content some sexual content, lots of violence and war, but also will try to show what could have been if Anakin had had Qui-Gon as his tutor, not Obi-Wan. There will also be some very slow burn relationship building between my two favoruite Jar'Kai practitioners, and even Obi-Wan loosens up a little.
> 
> Please let me know what you think, I'll try and update reasonibly frequently

Ahsoka gripped the side of the dropship, and found herself wishing yet again that she was just a few inches taller. 

The clones all around her were chatting, discussing the worsening situation below them on Christophsis. Apparently, the fight had been progressing well, with the droid armies having lost control of several key sectors across the planet, however fighting in the capital city of Chaleydonia was still fierce, and General Kenobi had requested the reinforcements to bolster their forces before the final push onto the droid foundry. With the foundry taken out, the droids would have no means of reinforcing their losses on the planet and so the battle would not last much longer.

Ahsoka listened to all of their talk of battle, and strategy intently, not wanting to be found wanting if questioned on the situation by her new master. Ever since coming to the temple when she was three, she had been determined to excel and prove herself, finding a serenity in the teaching of the Jedi that helped quiet the discontent at the heart of herself. 

When she had been only a couple of years into her training, she had been approached by Master Yoda, who had sensed the conflict deep within herself and encouraged her to open up to him. Sensing no judgement or disapproval from the venerable Master, she told him about her discomfort with male pronouns, with her body and with her gender. To her surprise, Yoda did not dismiss her feelings, merely confirmed that the Jedi understood such matters, and were well placed to support her in resolving this with her.

The Jedi who had brought her to the temple, Master Plo Koon, arranged for her to see the temple doctors. They confirmed what they could do for her, and promised that she would be able to develop just like any other female Togruta thanks to the advanced medical procedures they had access to on Coruscant. She remembered the hug she gave Master Plo Koon, crying tears of happiness into his legs as he awkwardly patted her shoulder. 

A sudden jolt and explosion sound shook her out of her revere, and she took a deep breath, recognising the need to centre herself in the now. She was 18, not 5, and she was entering a war zone, no time for reflections on the past. The air in the dropship had taken on a tense, focussed air as they approached the battlefield and the droid anti-air fire began targeting them. 

Another explosion threw the ship to the side and she nearly fell to her knees. Cursing slightly, she managed to maintain her grip on the side and tensed, reaching out with the force to find her balance. Before too long they managed to make land and the doors opened, and the bright light shone in, dazzling the young Padawan as she stepped out onto the alien world. 

She had never been to Christophsis before, but she had heard a lot about it in the briefing she had been given by Admiral Yularen. A planet covered mostly in crystal forests, it was notable for being one of the few planets to naturally produce kyber crystals. This made it a target for both sides, as, besides powering the Jedi’s iconic weapons, these powerful crystals could be used to power much more dangerous creations. Added to that the proximity to one of the most important hyperspace routes and it was an important strategic planet in the outer rim that the republic could not afford to leave in the hands of the Separatists.

While the clones all ran past her to meet with their commanders, Ahsoka calmly walked towards the two men in Jedi robes who stood debating in the command centre nearby. As she got closer, she could tell that the debate sounded more like bickering, but as she could sense nothing but positive feelings coming from each of them, she smiled and came to a stop next to them, announcing herself through a small cough.

“Good day Masters, my name is Ahsoka Tano, I have been sent by Master Qui-Gon Jinn to be your new Padawan learner.” Skywalker grinned and punched Kenobi playfully on the shoulder.

“Oh look, you finally get to teach the next generation how to do exactly what they’re told and never think for themselves!” he said, grinning as he did so at his friend. Ignoring this, Kenobi smiled at Ahsoka and reached out a hand.

“Hello young one, I’m Master Kenobi, and this sorry excuse of a Jedi Knight is Anakin Skywalker.” Skywalker snorted behind him and began whispering behind his hand to one of the clone captains next to him. “I look forward to teaching you, but before we begin I would like to apologise for Anakin’s blatant lack of decorum. I am afraid Master Qui-Gon, while he is exemplary in many ways, was unable to teach him anything about the social graces.” At this, Anakin burst into laughter, which caused some of the clones to turn around in shock.

“I am pleased to meet you, Master Kenobi” Ahsoka said, taking his hand and shaking it, smiling up at the bearded human in front of her, “but I actually was assigned to be Master Skywalker’s Padawan, not yours.” This stopped Skywalker’s laughter dead. He choked, and started coughing and spluttering in confusion. Ahsoka swore a small smirk appeared on Master Kenobi’s face before he turned around and smacked Anakin hard on the back.

“Now wait just one second” Anakin managed to splutter out between coughing fits, “I never requested a Padawan to train, he did” he pointed at Kenobi, who was putting on a very poor show of confusion “I don’t want to train a Padawan, they would only slow me down!”

Just then the shuttle Ahsoka arrived in exploded in a ball of angry white and yellow fire, shattering the relative peace of the moment with an ear splitting roar. Further explosions could be heard nearby, and Skywalker called for everyone to report to their battlestations. The droids were attacking!

“Ahsoka, stay with me until we can sort this out!” Kenobi called as he ran towards his squad, who were rushing to grab their weapons and forming ready to charge the enemy position.

A shell landed between them before Ahsoka could move more than a couple of steps, and she was hurled backwards by the force of it. She landed sprawled on the ground, head ringing and completely disorientated. 

“I’ve got her Obi-Wan, just go! We need to take out those cannons!” Ahsoka felt a hand grab her arm roughly and pull her to her feet. “Are you ok little one?” His face swam into focus in front of her.

“Look at me, are you ok!?” he said again, much rougher this time and he slightly shook her. This brought her focus back and she angrily pushed his hand away.

“Don’t call me little - Master” she said, realising she was speaking too harshly. You should address your teacher with respect, this was something that was hammered into every youngling from their earliest days. She flushed with embarrassment as she felt his gaze on her, but then she heard him chuckle slightly.

“All right Snips, have it your way. Stick close to me and keep your lightsaber ready, we need to assist Obi-Wan.” He turned before Ahsoka could object to the nickname - which was so much worse than “little one”, honestly - and called out to the captain he was whispering to earlier, who was still at the command centre.

“Rex, get the ARC troopers together, we need to assist Obi-Wan with those cannons”

“Roger that General” the clone captain called Rex called back. He barked some orders into his wrist communicator, and soon a platoon of jetpack wearing clone troopers stood to attention feet away. While they were arriving, Anakin strode back to the command centre, Ahsoka following, and checked the map, which was being updated with the incoming intel from their reconnaissance. The cannon’s position would be difficult to get to, she could see, as they were behind a one way shield that they did not have the arms fire to break through. Anakin in the meantime contacted Obi-Wan and told him that he needs to distract the droids as much as possible. From the sounds of battle Ahsoka could hear through the comm, Kenobi was already doing his level best to do that, but he promised he would have their undivided attention soon, and would send a signal as soon as he had it.

Leaving the command centre to observe the assembled troops, Anakin gestured to Ahsoka to come stand next to him and she moved forward, hovering awkwardly. He stood tall and proud in front of his men, and Ahsoka could see he commanded their attention absolutely. He had not been their leader long, but it was clear that he relished his role and they respected him deeply.

“Alright men, the droids have made their move and we need to retaliate. One thing before I explain the plan, this is Ahsoka Tano, she is a Padawan assigned to us by Master Qui-Gon. She will be joining us in the battle.” Ahsoka did her best to stand to attention and look intimidating, but this was hard when you were surrounded by a lot of tough, battle hardened soldiers and you were a lot smaller than them.

“Ahsoka technically holds the rank of commander, so if she gives you an order, I expect you to obey it.” Anakin continued, perhaps aware that her status might need clarification. “In the meantime, this is the plan. R2, bring up a map of the foundry and surrounding area.” A blue and white astromech moved over and shone a holographic map in front of Anakin and the troops.

“General Kenobi and Cody are leading the charge on the front of the complex,” Skywalker said, pointing to the road that lead into the massive factory where the Separatists had set up their own command centre, “and are going to make sure that every eye is focussed on them. In the meantime, we are going to flank the building and infiltrate it, sabotage those cannons and do our best to cause as much destruction as possible while their backs are turned. Any questions?”

No-one raised their hands. They all knew the drill. Well, nearly all. Ahsoka thought the plan was dangerous, but she felt she had to make a good impression on her new Master, and so she remained silent. She could do this. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?


	2. Surprise comes from defying expectations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahsoka and Anakin make their way to the factory, and a challenge is offered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, sorry this update took so long, explanation at the end.
> 
> Enjoy! (or don't, I'm not your mother)

Ahsoka ran alongside Anakin, the Arc troopers following closely behind. They were racing through a deserted area of the city, but it was still strewn with the fallout of the short but devastating war for the planet. The war had hit this planet hard, and the marks, Ahsoka could see, would leave scars lasting for generations. Not for the first time, she found herself questioning why this war was being fought. 

Ahsoka was not a coward, not by a long shot. Ever since coming out to Master Yoda, she had found a boundless confidence and bravery that she carried with her at all times. She was always first into any sparring session, and, thanks to her honed gymnastic abilities and energetic use of Ataru, she usually found herself triumphant. This had often won her praise from her tutors, which only fed into her self confidence and bravado. 

However, actually being out here, feeling the heat from the explosion only a few minutes ago, and running towards what she knew would be a desperate and dangerous fight against almost overwhelming odds, she felt her confidence waiver. Was she ready for this, for a fight for her life against machines literally designed to kill her? 

She took a deep breath, trying to centre herself as she ran along, neatly front flipping over a smouldering vehicle, and tried to remember Master Yoda’s teachings.

Do or do not, there is no try. Such a simple adage, one that she had spent endless hours medicating over. What was wrong with trying? Jedi weren’t gods, they didn’t know if they would succeed or not in something, and the only way to know was to try. Right? 

The skyscraper they were running underneath had partially collapsed, leaning against its neighbour precariously, ready at any moment to fall. Some explosion had taken out most of the base, and what remained was a rubble filled mess. What an apt metaphor for this plan, Ahsoka thought, as they passed underneath it and turned the corner. Ready to fail at any moment...

It wasn’t that she didn’t approve of taking risks. More than once, her instructors in the Temple had admonished her for her rather… flamboyant fighting style. Her reverse grip style, she knew, was not approved of by most, due to its unorthodox nature and difficulties against other blade wielders. She found it suited her, and was loath to break with what was comfortable for her just because tradition demanded it. Master Qui-Gon didn’t seem to have minded, when he had observed one of her sessions, and took the time to mention how impressed he was with her abilities with a style most considered a disadvantage.

However, this plan was DANGEROUS, even for a warzone. They were going to enter an enemy stronghold, vastly outnumbered and with no hope of meaningful backup or support. She had heard Anakin Skywalker was reckless, but this…

“Master, this plan of yours, do you really think it will work?” she said, trying her best to keep back the bite of incredulity she could feel was trying to worm it’s way out in her voice.

“Of course it will work, Snips, trust me” Anakin called back jovially as he jumped up to the top of a nearby pile of masonry that had once been a bakery, to judge from the broken sign in the rubble.

“But Master, surely there is some way we could do this… I don’t know, less recklessly?” She responded, feeling her temper rise. Anakin was really arrogant, asking her to trust him after only an hour working with him! He was putting all of their lives, hers and the clones, on the line for some half baked scheme that would leave them surrounded by murderous droids! She jumped up to join him on the remains of the bakery, landing gently on his right.

“Master Yoda always says-”

“Master Yoda isn’t here Snips, I am” interjected Anakin. “And I say this plan will work. You’ll see.” He turned to Rex “We’re nearly in position now, contact Obi-Wan and let him know we’ll be starting shortly. I’m going to scout ahead with Ahsoka and make sure our point of ingress is clear. And maybe teach her a little lesson about chain of command…”

“Roger that sir” Rex saluted, then nodded at Ahsoka when Anakin turned around. She sensed confidence flowing from the clone captain, almost infectiously so. She looked back at her master, and realised that this brash young man (older than Ahoska, yet still barely in his 20’s) really did have the complete confidence of his men. She decided that she would trust her master, as he hadn’t yet given her any reason not to.

“What can you see, Master?” Ahsoka asked, craning her neck to look over the pile of twisted metal in front of her. She could just make out the walls of the factory, reaching high, too high to be easily scaled without flying.

“You tell me” Anakin said, handing over his macrobinoculars with a small smirk gracing his face. Slightly annoyed at the cocky man, she grabbed them and moved over to a spot where the metal barrier in front of her was lower, so she could see easily. She had always hated being smaller than most other people, and could only hope that she would hit her growth spurt soon, if only to stop people like Anakin thinking up clever nicknames… Like Snips... Honestly...  
Looking through the macrobinoculars, she assessed the wall in front of them. She could see immediately that the wall was nowhere near as smooth as she had feared, there were plenty of hand and foot holds dotted around that a climb would not pose a challenge. Here and there there were bigger holes, craters left by the Republic bombardment of battles past, which could provide cover if the clankers (she heard one of the clones refer to the droids as clankers earlier, and was determined to at least talk the talk, if she was still having to learn to walk the walk) spotted their attack before they reached the summit. Speaking of the summit, she looked to the top of the wall and saw several turret emplacements looking out, although she couldn’t see any droi-clanker activity behind them. Whatever Master Obi-Wan was doing was working. 

She handed the macrobinoculars back to Anakin, and relayed her findings. He nodded, seeming satisfied.

“You think you can make it to the top?” He asked, and she sensed, behind the teasing tone, perhaps a smidge of concern. “It’s pretty steep, and quite a long way…”

“I’ll make it Master, don’t you worry” She replied, letting bravado take the place of fear. Fear was not the Jedi way, but there was nothing to say cocky arrogance was against the rules. Anakin smiled, and for once, it seemed there was no trace of mockery in it.

“Tell you what Snips” He said, using that infuriating nickname again. “You make it to the top first, and I’ll let you drop the “Master”. It’s really not my style”. 

“You’re on, MASTER” She said, emphasising the name. She saw his grin widen, and felt something in her chest rise. He was giving her a chance, Anakin Skywalker, the war hero! She wasn’t going to mess this up, she was going to show him EXACTLY what she was made of! Anakin turned to the clones, who were lined up at the bottom of the shop ruins.

“Listen up men'' He called to the assembled troops “the base of the wall is about a klick away, if we can use the cover of the buildings and go carefully, we should be able to get right up to the base without being spotted. I want weapon safeties on, no exceptions, until we start the climb. We don’t want to give away our position with an accidental laser fire!” He paused, surveying them all with a proud but stern gaze, as they all hurried to obey. The clicking of the gun safeties being turned on having ceased, he continued.

“When we get to the base, it’s going to be a straight shot up. I know you all have your jetpacks, but we’re going to free climb as long as possible, just in case there are any sound or motion sensors we haven’t spotted from here. When we get to the top, I’ll lead half of you to the power generators, and we’re going to deactivate them however we can. Commander Ahsoka and Captain Rex will take the other half to clear the walls for us, then meet us by the front gate to catch the droid army in the rear. Any questions?” No questions came from the clones, and Ahsoka could only sense a cold determination emanating from all of them. They were all battle veterans, who had seen and experienced their own fair share of violence, and this was just another battlefield, another day in the office as it were for them. Ahsoka felt that determination to win, to survive fill her up, restoring her confidence and bravado. Master Qui-Gon and Yoda both felt she could do this, so why had she faltered in that resolve?

Anakin jumped down, and Ahsoka followed suit. The clones were split into the two groups, Anakin and Lieutenant Jesse heading the infiltration unit, and Ahsoka and Captain Rex heading the wall one. She walked over to Rex as he was checking his jetpack one last time, and decided to properly introduce herself.

“So, does Master Skywalker always leave the majority of the fighting to you Captain?” She asked, a slight teasing tone in her voice. Rex turned, and although the helmet covered his face, she could feel his surprise and curiosity at her remark. 

“I mean,” she continued before he could respond, “with all the clankers out fighting Master Kenobi’s forces, he probably won’t have much to do besides run in, plant the charges and run out again, it’s us who will have all the dangerous work to do.”

“Don’t count on it kid” Rex responded gruffly, turning his attention back to his pack. “While it’s true most of the droids will be out fighting, the Seperatist general leading their defence would be a fool not to have left some kind of trap for anyone foolish enough to infiltrate their base while their back was turned, and after fighting this one for so long,” He straightened up, fixing the jetpack to the back of his armour, “I can promise you that he is not that stupid. There’s a reason this planet has taken so long to capture for the Republic.”

“So you think Master Skywalker is foolish?” Ahsoka replied, the teasing tone now prominent. Rex turned quickly back to her, panic evident in his bearing.

“I.. I didn’t mean that! General Skywalker is a brilliant commander, and he’s always lead us right!” She could sense the panic cascading off of the soldier while she stood, smirking.

“Awww, Rex, you’re too kind” called out Anakin from where he and Jesse were organising their unit. The whole squad laughed and Rex stood to attention, quite clearly embarrassed and annoyed. Ahsoka decided to give the man an out, she knew how fragile men could be about their image.

“It’s ok Rex, I’m only teasing.” She smiled as his demeanour visibly relaxed. It suddenly struck her that this man was technically younger than her, yet he was fully grown and much more experienced in this field than she was. She was going to need his support if she was going to be with Skywalker for the foreseeable future. 

“What would you prefer me to call you, Captain or just Rex?” She asked, giving him the choice. While she did technically outrank him, she didn’t feel it was appropriate to force that on any of them until she had earned that position and their respect.

“Whatever you choose, Commander” He said stiffly, not meeting her gaze. She felt a little more ice breaking was needed, so she pulled him aside, away from the prying ears of their troops.

“Look Captain, I know how awkward this situation is.” She said bluntly, feeling the direct approach would work better with this man of action. “I may be a Commander, but you’re the one who has been fighting this war, and I’m happy to follow your lead on this mission.” She looked up into his helmet and saw him nod, almost imperceptibly. “Good, well, shall we go, Captain?” she said, straightening up and speaking louder, so the clones nearby could hear.

Of course, she should be taking charge of the mission, TECHNICALLY, but she needed to earn the respect of these men, and learn what it took to lead. She had never felt comfortable giving orders, and it was clear that Rex was literally made for the job, so she resolved to watch and learn from him, and he seemed happy with that. Of course, the idea that a Jedi would need to learn from a clone would be laughable to most, and definitely a serious blow to morale for many, and if the other troops felt that she wasn’t capable or ready she would never be able to lead them. Taking things slowly for now was for the best, for everyone.

Rex straightened up, and called out to his men, his deep voice carrying easily in the quiet, dusty area behind the ruined building.

“Alright men, stow your packs and double check your safeties” He waited until they were all standing to attention, and looked over to Anakin, who nodded back and called out to the whole squad.

“All right everyone, let’s move out!”

Rex and Ahsoka ran up to join Anakin and Jesse, and the four of them lead the way through the debris and ruins that stood between them and the base of the wall to the factory. This last klick of their journey was a lot more tense than the first part, mainly due to the fractured nature of their movement. They had to run between cover, zigzagging around the ground at an increasingly erratic rate. By the time that they made it to where the wall met the ground, some of the clones were clearly out of breath. Ahsoka felt invigorated, however. This is what her training had prepared her for, and now she could really show off in front of Skywalker. 

Anakin took out his macrobinoculars again, scanning the wall above them as he did so. The troops formed up next to them while he searched, Ahsoka assumed for any sensors or traps he couldn't see before. However, he quickly put them back, and called out for them to begin the climb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it's taken me a while to get this chapter out, I know it's not that long, but I wanted to save the actual factory assault for its own full chapter, as there WILL be a lot to cover. 
> 
> 21 Kudos on the first chapter honestly astounds me, I never though it would get any real attention at all.
> 
> I am really struggling to edit my own work (it's something I've always hated doing), so if anyone wants to be a beta for this series, please hit me up, it would be super appreciated and might help get these updates out a little more regularly.
> 
> I'm trying to keep this as close to canon as possible, outside of the obvious change with Qui-Gon, be prepared for some rather obscure references once I go off the beaten path, canon wise though!


End file.
